Sack-baler.



W. A WEBSTER.

SACK BALER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. A. WEBSTER.

SACK BALER.

APPLICATION FlLED AUG-I8, 1914.

Ptentedi Apr. 13, 1915.

2 SHEETS-"SHEET 2.

IHH

a 3 NITNESSS- wire-tier.

WILLIAM A. WEBSTER, 0F GALESB'UlRfilLLINOIS, ASSIGN'OR 0F ONE-HALF '10 JOHN HULSIE, 0F GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

SACK-BALER.

nieaaai.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Sack-Baler, of which the following is a specification. r

My improvements relate more particularly to devices for baling cement, salt, and

other sacks with wire, and for securingthe ends of the bale-wire together after the bale is completed. It will be evident, however, as the nature of the invention is more. fully disclosed and better understood, that the improvements are of such nature that they may readily be utilized for baling bundles of angle and other irons, ax, fork and other handles, and for a great many other purposes too numerous to here recite. By .a slight modification the improvements may readily be converted into a'shock binder lln the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a baler embodying my improvements; Fig 2, an end elevation;

Fig. 3, a fragmental top plan, illustrating a somewhat modified arrangement of the wiretwisting and tightening devices and of the method of baling; Fig. 4, an edge elevation of the knotting mechanism; Fig. 5, a vertical central sectional detail in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a detail, a rear elevation; Fig. 7, a modification, an edge elevation; Fig. 8, a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 9, an inner end view of the sack-counting mechanism; and Fig. 10, a side elevation thereof. Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive are greatly enlarged with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

Coming now to a detailed description of the drawings, and referring to each element and where necessary to each part thereof by a distinguishing numeral, uniformly employed, 2 designates a floor on which are secured the legs 3 of a table of which 4 indicates the top.

5-'5 are l -shaped standards, of which there are preferably three, each of which is bolted to the top 4. The upper end of each Specification of Lettersfatent.

Application filed August 18, 1914. Serial No. 857,392.

and

Patented Apt". is, ieia.

ated therewith are duplicates, each of the others, it will be necessary to describe but one.

6 designates a socket or ring-head having a radially arranged slot 7 communicating with its axial bore 8. It is provided with a foot 9 having a curved lower corner, and with a transverse opening for the reception of a bolt 10 which passes through the registering openings earlier herein referred to,

whereby the head is pivotally mounted in the top of the standard, for a purpose pres-,

ently described.

I 11 designates a crank arm having at one end a handle 12 and at its other end a wiretwisting hub 13 provided with an axially arranged countersunk pocket 14 and with a radial slot 15 which at its heel'extends to the distant side of the pocket. A wire-engaging pin 16 is cast or otherwise secured to the heel 18.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a hand piece 19 provided with a socket or ring-head 22 corresponding to the head 6 except that the slot is arranged in the end instead of in the side. 20 designatesa long pin secured on the inner face of the hand piece and projecting at a right angle thereto. j

In operation, the sacks 23 are laid on the table top 4, upon which the baling wires 21 have previously been placed. One end portion of the wires is then looped around the intertwist the wires as shown in Fig. 4. If

continued for a sufiicient length of time they will be severed, substantially at the shoulder 26, by the extreme tension. The ends of a pair of wires may be spliced or intertwisted in a similar manner, it being necessary, however, to hold corresponding ends thereof by means of a pair of pliers.

. In Fig. 2 a completed bale is shown, its initial position being indicated by the dotted lines. From this view it will be seen that the pivoted head 6 will swing on its fulcrum to automatically accommodate itself to the varying directions in which the wires enter it and the hub in the operation of baling. These conditions are especially noticeable, however, when baling small bundles, such as lengths of angle irons, handles, etc., etc. The plane bottom portion '9 of the foot 9 rests on a plane portion 9 of a seat intermediate the ears 5 at the top of the standard, and prevents the head from tilting in one direction from its vertical and normal position.

In order that there will be no sharp proj ecting corners to sever the wires I have countersunk the outer end of the opening 14 as shown clearly in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the sacks as having been placed upon the table afterbeing doubled upon themselves, end to end. In

this view the wire tighteners and twisters are placed one at the side and one at the end of the table, and the wires cross each at right angles on the. bale.

The device shown in Figs. 7 and 8 may easily be carried .about and i-s adaptable as a hand baler for any of the purposes or uses to which the type of device shown in the principal figures may be applied. However, this modified-type may be more conveniently used bytelegraph and telephone linemen, fence builders and others engaged in kindred lines of work, for tying small bundles, and for a vast number of other purposes for which a non-portable one would not answer. Chief among these may be mentioned its adaptability as a corn (or other) shockbinder and tier. When used for this purpose the pin 20 is stuck into the shock to support the hand piece while the operator carries the wire around the shock, whereupon the tightening and twisting operation is proceeded with in the manner above described. Inasmuch as the entire device is free to turn in any direction it is unnecessary to provide it with a pivoted head.

Cement sacks being relatively valuable, are carefully counted when being baled for return to the mill. Inasmuch as they are usually placed on the table one by one, and baled in bundles of fifty, the operator very often miscounts them, whereby the owner (shipper) is docked by the mill for shortage, or else he (the operator) loses track of the count and therefore has to recount them. In fact, it has been the practice not only to count them as they are placed on the table, but to recount them before the wires receive final placement. Each of these methods is very unsatisfactory. Therefore,

in order that the count may be accurate and without an effort on the part of the operator to constantly memorize it I have provided the table with a very simple and convenient form of counter, shown best in Figs. 9 and 10, wherein 27 designates a supporting bracket having an internally threaded hub 28. 29 indicates a count-screw,

provided with a fixed number of threads adapted to engage those in the hub 28. 30 designates a head on one end of the screw. 31 indicates a count wheel on the other end thereof, the number of its spokes having a predetermined relationship to the number of threads on'the screw 29. 32 is a spring detent.

In operation, as the operator places each sack on the table (or on a previously laid sack) he will give a p2LIt-IG"Ollli l011 to the click or count wheel, the extent of movement being one spoke over the detent, which of course prevents backward movement of the wheel. He need not watch the wheel. for the sound of the spring slipping oil the spoke will be plainly audible. The number of threads on the screw, should the count wheel have four spokes, would be equal to one-fourth the number of sacks which it is desired to place in each bundle, so that when the head 30 and wheel 31 have been given a complete rotation four sacks would have been placed on the stack, and when the screw has been turned as far forward as is possible, an accurate count of the sackswill have been made without mental efi'ort on the part of the operator.

In the drawings forming a part hereof all my improvements have been embodied in the best way now known to me; obviously, however, some of these constructions may vary in details from those shown, and some may be used without the others, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following. namely 1. In a baler, a table, and a plurality of wire-twisting and tightening devices mounted thereon, a portion of said devices arranged at right angles to each other.

2. In a device of the character described, a standard, a head pivoted thereon, and wire-twisting means working in said head.

3. In a device of the character described, a standard having cars at its upper end. -a slotted ring-head pivoted between said ears, and a slotted wire-twisting hub rotatablv mounted in said hub.

.4. In a device of the character described, astandard having ears at its upper end, a slotted ring-head pivoted between said ears, and a slotted wire-twisting hub rotatably mounted in said head and removable therefrom.

5. In a device of the character described, a standard having ears at its upper end, a. slotted ring-head pivoted between said ears and adapted to tilt from its normal vertical position to one side only, and a wiretwisting hub working in said head and removable therefrom.

6. In a device of the character described, a standard having ears at its upper end, a

slotted ring-head pivoted between said ears and adapted to tilt from its normal position to one side but not to the other, a slotted Wire-twisting hub having a counterbored axially arranged aperture, Working in said head, and a wire-end-engaging pin arranged on the heel of said hub.

7. In a device of the character described, a suitably supported ring-head, a Wire- 10 tightening and twisting hub Working therein, and a prong secured to the ring-head support for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I hereto subscribe my name,

at Galesburg, Illinois, this 10th day of 15 August, 1914.

WILLIAM A. WEBSTER. Witnesses:

NOEL B. MARTIN, WEBB. A. HERLOCKER. 

